Governor for ignition systems



Dec. 11, 1928.

s. i. FEKETE GOVERNOR FOR mumon SYSTEMS Filed Jan. 23, 1924 I F' g2- Patented Dec. 11, 1928.

UNITED srArss PATENT OFFICE.

STEPHEN I. FEKETE, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO HUDSON MOTOR CAR COMPANY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATIOBI OF MICHIGAN.

GOVERNOR FOR IGNITION SYSTEMS.

Application filed January 23, 1924. Serial No. 688,075.

My present invention has for its object to provide a simplified governor for use in socalled battery ignition systems such as are con'imonly employed as parts of internal combustion engines for automobiles and the like. In systems of this kind, it is customary to employ a so-called distributor shaft, usually placed in a vertical position, and to place on this shaft a cam which operates the movable member of the interrupter which makes and breaks the current and a distributor finger which distributes high tension current to the spark plugs in the firing order of the engine. It has also been custoimiry to mount the cam loosely on the shaft so that the same may be revolved relatively to the shaft itself and thereby advance or retard the spark. In the particular type of device to which my present invention relates, a centrifugal governor has been mounted on the shaft and the movement of its weight has moved the cam relatively to the shaft, thereby producing what is known in the art as an automatic advance.

While these devices have been satisfactory in operation, they have been complicated and consequently very expensive to manufacture. Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to provide devices of this character which can be manufactured more cheaply because of their greater simplicity.

The invention will be fully understood from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, and the novel features thereof will be pointed out and clearly defined in the claims at the close of this specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section of a distributor unit embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is an elevation as Viewed from the rear of Fig. 1, of the distributor shaft 11 and attached parts.

Fig. 3 is a section on line 33, Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a section on line 4.4, Fig. 2.

Referringnow to the drawings, at A is shown the distributor casing, at B the cover having contact points O with which the movable contact member D on an arm E contacts. The movable arm of the interrupter is shown at F.

All of the foregoing parts may be of standard construction and therefore will not be described in detail.

At 11. is shown the distributor shaft, bein adapted for connection at its lower end witfi gearing, not shown. On the shaft is a cam sleeve 12 carrying the interrupter cam 13, these parts being preferably made in one piece. On top of the cam sleeve 12 and rotatable with it is the distributor arm 14 made of molded insulating material and carrying the contact member D, already referred to. At 15 i s shown a collar fixed on the distributor shaft 11 and :lturnishing a bearing on which the cam sleeve 1.2 rests. The cam sleeve 12 is grooved vertically as shown at a on one side and is prevented from coming off the top of the distributor shaft by a spring clasp 16 which snaps into a groove cut in the shaft. From the foregoing it will be seen that the cam sleeve 12, cam 13 and distributor arm 14- can be revolved relatively to the shaft.

At 17 is shown a cross shaft extending through the collar 15 and distributor shaft 17 and projecting at each end. This shaft is held in place by a set screw 18. The ends of the shaft 17 project on each side and form a pivotal support for the governor weight 19 shown in Fig. 4. This governor weightis conveniently of oblong shape and surrounds the collar 15. On one side of the counterweight and on the upper face thereof is a lug 20 to which is secured a finger 21 (see Figs. 2, 3 and 4:) having a ball-shaped head. This finger is directly on the governor weight, there being no interposed connections. The ball-shaped head of the finger engages the groove a in the side of cam sleeve The i'noven'ient of the head downward is limited by the head striking the fixed collar 15 and in the other direction by the head cramping in the groove.

On one end of the cross shaft 17 is placed a flat coiled spring 22 of the type commonly known as a watch spring. The inner end of this spring enters a slot 23 in the end of the cross shaft 17 and the spring is held in place on the cross shaft 17 by a cotter pin 24-. The other end of the spring 22 enters a slot 25 in a stud 26 which is fixed in the side of the governor weight 19.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the spring 22 tends to hold the governor weight in an inclined position and that the centrifugal force produced by the rapid rotation of the distributor shaft will tend to cause the governor weight to approach a horizontal position, being resisted in this movement by the spring 22. The movement of the governor weight toward or from the horizontal.

causes the finger 21 fixed thereon and engaging the groove (1 in the cam sleeve 12 to rotate the cam sleeve 12 relatively to the shaft 11 and advance or retard the spark correspondingly.

T he parts comprising the device embodying my invention are few and extremely simple to manufacture; they may be asseinbled rapidly and certainlv and. when assenr bled and in use. there is nothing to get out of order or require adjustment.

hat I claim is:

1. In a distril'iutor unit. a distributor shaft, a cam slee e and earn rotatable on said shaft about its axis a en s raft extending through said shaft, a. ernor Weight pivotall'j, mounted on said cross shaft, a finger on said governor Weight engaging a. groove in said eani sleeve. ant. a spring on the cross shaft one end of the spring l'ieing secured to the cros shaft and the other end of the spring enf: sing the governor Weight.

2. In a distributor unit. a distributor shaft, a cam sleeve and earn rotatable on said shaftabout its axis, a cross shaft extending through said shaft and fixed thereto. said cross shaft being; slotted at one end. a governor Weight pivotallv mounted on said cross shaft and having a finger engaging a groove in said cain sleeve, a spring surrounding the end of the cross shaft and having one end in the slot 0 said cross shaft and the other connected. to apost fixed in the governor.

3. In a distributor unit, a distrilnitor shaft. a rain sleeve and a cam rotatable on said sh aft about its axis, a cross shaft extending through said distributor snaft, a governor Wel i pivotall mounted on said cross shaft, an in terengaging finger and slot in said governor and earn sleeve, and a spring one end of which is secured to the cross shaft and the other to the governor weight, and means for adjusting the tension of said spring.

4:. Ina distributor unit, a dis 'ibul r shaft. a cam sleeve and a cam rotatable on said shaft about its axis, a cross shaft extending through said shaft, a set screw in said distrihiu'or shaft to locate the cross shaft in a desired position, a governor Weight pivotally mounted on said cross shaft and an interenga in; finger and slot in said governor and cam sleeve, and a spring one end of which. is secured to the cross shaft and the other to the governor Weight.

In testimony whereof I allix nrv signature.

STEPHEN I. FEKETE. 

